Re: China's South China Sea Claim Line--What's the Deal with That?
Originally posted by Omega VisionIt seems like China is trying to flex it's muscles. Maybe they think if they make such a big claim and do some posturing they can get some of the expanded territory as a compromise.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine-dotted_lineSo, I'm sure you've all heard about this on the news at some point, but basically, China has laid claim to a massive u-shaped chunk of the South China Sea on the basis that these areas were originally explored by Chinese navigators (can't comment on that given Chinese history isn't something I've read up much on), which--if we were to apply this standard to the whole world--would mean Spain and Portugal would have territorial waters extending over most of the Atlantic.
Anyway, my question is: how far do you think China will press this? Is it all just bluster? Will they just force Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, and the Philippines into a military pact, a kind of NATO for Southeast Asia?
I don't think this will last. The U.N. should vote it down.